The Penn's Grove record., 1887-07-09

kissed ana invited 10 Visit her again.
but Gala, with her usual Ill luck, had
neither kiss nor invitation from our
offended aunt.
"Gertle," said Gala, as we were
gliding along III the train. 81 had
rather live in our own circumstances
forever than to feel as Aunt Charity
does, with all her wealth. See how
suspicious she is. She has not one
friend whom she trusts in the world"
Soon after this sorrow came again.
Our little darling, our Gertie, breathed
out her little life in her mothers arms,
while l stood by, utterly powerless to
ward off the grim destroyer. Gala was
almost frantic, but the necessity for
work saved her as it had done me. l
procured for her work in the same fac
tory where | was employed, and steady
toll keeps one from thinking very
much.
Aunt Charity did not come to US at
the time of our bereavement, and it
was not long before | received a letter
from her which read:
II am about to die, and / want you
to come and take care of me. L shall
not mind You being a grass widow, for
you will not be trying to get married
again. If you come l will give you a
good home.
CHARITY Brakeman"
"P. S.-What a mercy that poor
child died before 1t was old enough to
initiate the errors of its poor mother"
cut off that cruel postscript before
the letter met Calais eyes. She was
sufficiently indignant as 1t was.
Don't go near her, Gertiel" she
cried.
"She is DID," 1 replied, land has no
one to care for her. l shall CO."
But d grass widowI And she will
treat you wolse than a servant, and
never will give you anything, not as
much as you are earning here"
"Never mind. shall 90" 1 replied.
But there were times when / almost
regretted my resolution, though l tried
to bravely hold my own temper; and l
am rejo ced now that l almost always
succeeded.
The first day she told me-
81 shan't never give you nothing only
a home, so il you have come here after
LlOtlCl ~ "Oh v Wv nbJ ROOoR " i NO
willed it all away"
Never mind, Aunt Charity; 1 did
not come here for money"
After that she was quiet for a time
Then she called out
What You got on that black dress
forP l would not put on mourning for
a man that wouldn't live with me.n
"Oh, Aunt Charity, Harry Is surely
dead"
Don't you believe it. He Is living
all right somewhere with somebody
else."
And then l was silent, and after a
little she began again.
'Mercy sakes. you are a perfect
s%pendthrift! Two matches to build
one fire With You will certainly end
up In the almshouse."
"But poor Aunt Charity's days were
near their end, and 1 lore with her
with what patience l could.
But after i've years of anxious wait
ing, the true and full report of the loss
of the "Ayero," Harry's ship, upon the
far of coast OF Africa, came. One
man had made his way home through
the dark continent into Egypt and
thence to New York, and his account
was published in all the papers. Aunt
Charity shifted when l showed 1t to
her, saying
"You may be thankful that he has
not left you. He never thought moth
ing of you, or he'd never went way off
there"
And l wondered through my tears If
Aunt Charity had ever cared a straw
for any living being, or had any feelings
of her own, that she cared so little for
the feelings of Others.
One day 1901 after this she was shut
up alone all day with two or three law
yes, willing her property, as she after
ward said, to somebody who would
have took care of me decent If I had
| given them the chance"
But all these unkind words were for
| gotten when, after poor Aunt Charity's
death that will was read, and | found
IN, self the heiress of a hundred thou.
sand dollars, provided 1 never married
again.
Gala, however, was forgotten, except
ing a small gift in money and Aunt
Charity's wardrobe; but she knew as
well as l, that as long as | had a dollar
she would share it with me.
We had been in New York for Eve
years, and Gala was now a beautiful
woman of tweRty seven, and /, my
darling sister told me, looked better
than l ever had before, although my
next birthday would bring me to the
maturity of thirty.
These years had been full OF rest to
me. and / had been able to crafty my
love for the beautiful in a way that l
had once little dreamed OF.
We had mingled with society, sister
and |, and Gala had enjoyed herself to
the full, and regained all her girlhocd's
happiness; and /. too, would have been
perfectly happy had not thoughts OF
Harry's sad end ever been before me.
During this time we had made the
acquaintance OF a Mr.. Winslow, a man
of line personal appearance, with a full.
dark, flowing beard. and a PAIR OF brown
ewes that reminded me SO forcibly of
| Harry, sometimes, that l turned my
head for fear he would see the tears in
my eyes. AS l sat thinking of this
resemblance, one morning, Gala came
to me with a dush ON her cheek and a
happy light in her beautiful eyes.
"Gertie darling, l am going to be
married again." sue said, and stopped
blushing.
swell, pet" l replied, kissing her
fondly. 'who is itp"
"Oan not you guessp" she asked.
Eyes, Gala, l ean,"I answered. at
is Win Roberts, and l a rejoice with
you, for lie is a man of sterling integ-
rity and the drmest temperance princi-
PIES"
Eyes. dear" she said softly, "Will's
principles are as firm a your own"
Then 1 sat watching her idly as she
toyed with the bright new engagement
ring upon her hand. suddenly her
brow clouded, and she exclaimed
abruptly
"Gertie, it seems to me as II you
must always be giving up your happi-
ness, or your property. or something"
"What do you mean2" asked.
"Why you gave up your home with
Uncle Jacob for me, and bore all man
- - I,~dskfnS for pOthfnn Than